Cavs insist Kevin Love won't be traded with deadline on horizon

WASHINGTON -- The Cleveland Cavaliers looked to put an end to speculation aboutKevin Love's future Monday after more trade rumblings involving the All-Star forward surfaced as the Feb. 23 trade deadline draws closer.

"Not coming from our end," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said when asked about a New York Daily News report that cited a league source as saying LeBron James is pushing Cleveland's front office to swap Love to the New York Knicks for Carmelo Anthony. "Kevin should be happy that teams want him. But he's not going anywhere."

Anthony has been the subject of recent trade talk, with Knicks president Phil Jackson and the front office looking for potential deals to move the 13-year veteran. Love's name was also floated in trade scenarios at various times since joining the Cavs in the summer of 2014.

James and Love refuted the report after a 140-135 overtime win over the Wizards on Monday as they combined for 71 points, 19 rebounds and 20 assists and snapped Washington's 17-game home winning streak.

"What do they say?" Love said before reciting a quote often attributed to Winston Churchill. " 'A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put his pants on.' So, it's a lie.

"You know, if 'Bron is having any problem with me," Love said before smiling and snickering. "I mean, it's just not true. It's almost laughable. I'm on this team. I'm going to be on this team. And we want to win with the guys that we have."

A Cavaliers source earlier told ESPN on Monday night "there is no substance to any of that." There have been no follow-up calls by the Cavs to the Knicks beyond the original call from New York to gauge Cleveland's interest, the source said.

"It's trash," James said of the report. "And the guy who wrote it is trash too, for writing that, especially during the game like that. So it's always about outside noise and that's just outside noise for us. We got to focus on what needs to be done and that's to continue to compete for a championship. And we got who we got. Our GM (David Griffin) will do a great job of figuring out if we need something else but right now we're in a good place."

Sources had previously told ESPN's Marc Stein and Chris Haynes the Cavs rebuffed the Knicks' attempt late last month to trade Anthony for Love.

Both the Cavs and Knicks were in action Monday night. Love's 39 points, 12 rebounds and long inbounds pass to James to set up a game-tying 3 were instrumental in their win against the Wizards -- Cleveland's fifth victory in its last six games. Anthony, meanwhile, had 26 points, three rebounds and five assists in the Knicks' 14-point home loss to the Lakers.

James, when asked about a potential deal for his good friend Anthony, had said he is fully committed to playing with the players on the Cavaliers' roster. James had also said he wants Anthony to be happy, no matter where he's playing.

"I just want the best for my friend, no matter what it is," James told reporters in Cleveland on Friday. "If [Anthony's] there in New York or if not, I just want the best for him. I want him to be happy.

"The game comes very easy to you when you're happy where you are. If he's happy in New York, maybe he wants to be elsewhere. I'm not sure. He's done a lot for that franchise. He did a lot for the Denver franchise as well. We'll see what happens."

ESPN's Stein and Ramona Shelburne reported last week that the Knicks continued to pursue Love in advance of the Feb. 23 trade deadline despite the Cavaliers' unwillingness to part with him. Love said Friday that he believes he'll remain with the Cavs "for a long time."

Sources told Stein and Shelburne the Cavaliers maintain an interest in Anthony but only if a deal can be struck without the Cavs surrendering Love. Anthony has a no-trade clause and would need to waive it before any deal can be consummated.

The Cavs also held tryouts Wednesday with an eye on adding a free agent. Veteran point guard Jordan Farmar was given assurances that if anyone was to be signed from the workouts, it would be him, a source told ESPN. Guards Lance Stephenson, Mario Chalmers and Kirk Hinrich also worked out for the Cavs.

"We're going to trade him tonight," and incredulous Lue summed up the night that was for Love and the Cavs. "Thirty-nine and 12, we're going to trade him right now. C'mon man."